A Meeting of Brothers
by Lunamayn
Summary: "There's an evil in your eyes." His hand shot out and grabbed my scarred face, "It wasn't there thirty years ago."


"There's an evil in your eyes." His hand shot out and grabbed my scarred face, "It wasn't there thirty years ago." Of course it wasn't. So much has changed. Our father is dead, our brothers have been relieved of vital senses. I hate the look of concern on your face. You left us. Don't pretend that you care.

"Whats it matter to you Brainiac?" I practically hiss at him. He doesn't deserve my love, if I had any left. He's taken aback, I can see it in his stance. I hit a nerve. Good.

"What happened to you?" Simple question, simple answer. Life. I lived thirty years that he didn't. I'd seen people cut down, I watched a brother go blind saving my sorry shell, I helped tear our family apart.

"Thats a really stupid question for someone so smart Donatello." I make another jab. I don't like being interrogated. I'm set in my ways, as are our brothers. They don't ask me about my personal life, and I don't ask about theirs. Its the only way we can stand to be around each other.

From what I can gather, Raph is AWOL. We occasionally get a report from remaining troops about a creature that looked similar to me, or a flash of red. Raph is good, even with his missing eye. He doesn't have an alignment anymore. He kills what he wants. Its a more sinister version of his old saying, "Fight first ask questions later."

Leo is a different story. I only know he's become the shadow of New York. He saves those he thinks worthy, but the way of Bushido is lost to him. Its lost to all of us really, but to see our brother fall from somewhere so high hurts.

Some would argue that I'm the saddest case of all. I'd lost more than my arm. I'd lost an irreplaceable gem that nobody could replace. Innocence. I'm not a little kid anymore. I'm Mike. A hardened warrior with a hidden heart of gold, or so Id like to think.

"Whats it like?" Again with the simple questions. Was my presence shocking him? Maybe he didn't like seeing his baby brother like this. Why did I care? He left our family, the lair, me and the others. Even after he promised he wouldn't. He's looking at me like I'm a monstrous shadow of Mikey. Maybe hes right, but I know that the real monster here is judging me.

"Whats what like?" My voice. I don't remember it being this deep. Maybe its just another sick way of twisting the already distorted image of Michelangelo. The onyx eyes of my brother hold shame.

"Growing up." When did Donatello's whirlwind mind quiet? So many questions swirl in my head, but through the years I've learned to silence my own talkative nature. If I'd learned it sooner I might still have both arms, and Leo might still be able to see.

"_Leo!? Where are you!? Leo!?" A young Michelangelo runs through a crumbling building. Blue eyes wide with fear. "Leo!?"_

"_Mikey!?" Leonardo claws his way through rubble. A sudden crack forces Leo to look up. A huge support beam is coming down. As it lands, a scream overpowers the crash. "Michelangelo!"_

"_Leo! Help me! Please?!" Desperation fills his cries. Leo uses the last of his strength leaping to his baby brothers aid. He's pinned. His entire left arm engulfed by the metal beam. Tears fill his still innocent eyes. Leo drops beside his brother and gently wraps his arms around him._

"_Its going to be okay Mikey." His hand gently strokes his baby brothers forehead. An action he used to do when they were kids and Mikey couldn't sleep. His brothers tears roll onto his finger as he pulls away. Tears burn his eyes, "We're going to make it out of here."_

"_Wheres Raphie?" The coward had left when things got out of control, leaving his remaining brothers to perish. He had no trouble leaving them, but he would've made an exception for Splinter. Bless his soul. Leo didn't know what to do. His kid brother was trapped and crying, Raph had split, and the entire building was about to cave and kill them all._

"_I don't know Mikey. I know hes looking for us though." He faked a smile. The tears stopped briefly as Mikey smiled too. It was short lived as Mikey realized the danger they were in._

"_How am I gonna get out Leo?" His voice was hushed and innocent._

"Hell Donatello. Absolute hell." I don't really remember the rest. I think Leo hacked my arm off, but I do remember running into a prototype for the current Karai bot. My big brother started using energy he didn't have. He disabled it, but not before the accursed robot blinded him.

_Michelangelo's face widened in horror as the robot sliced open Leonardo's face. A wave of nausea rolled through the youngest turtles body as he came to a sickening realization. It had hits Leo's right eye. Leo's scream of agony sent the youngest of the edge. He rolled over and retched. _

"_Mikey...I'm..I'm okay little buddy." The older turtle spoke with gritted teeth before he patted Mikey's back. The orange banded turtle rolled over and dry heaved. His brothers right eye streamed blood. The slashes in his face were wide and exposed pink flesh. Smoke began to swirl around Leo._

"_Mikey, you need to close your eyes." His brothers voice commanded. Mikey halfheartedly agreed. Only hesitating to make sure his brother would be alright, before he let darkness claim him. If he had known it would claim Leo permanently, he would've stayed awake. _

"Do you know where Leo and Raph are?" That question was more Donnie's speed. I turned and gave him a glare, but I think the glimmer of hope in my eyes gave me away. Donnie and Leo had always been able to pick up on my inner emotions. Of course, I gave up on Leo noticing along time ago.

"Yea, but its a long story." I've grown blunt. I don't have much to say anymore, only the basics. Its not like I care what goes on around me anymore. I care for my brothers, but that's about it.

"I've got time." I'd almost forgotten how mouthy teenagers used to be. Teens these days are well trained and unfortunately, expendable soldiers.

"_Where were you?!" Leo, now blind, screamed at Raph. Mikey could practically cut the hatred in the air with a katana. He traced the outline of where his left hand had been. Relearning how to write was hard. Training was even harder. The once left handed turtle easily adapted, but his carefree nature only went so far._

"_I was trying to save my own ass!" Mikey tried to ignore the sound of a fist colliding with beak. "How was I supposed to know you and Stumpy were trapped!?"_

_Rage bubbled up inside the usually pacifist turtle. Innocent blue eyes flickered to a piercing gaze. It wasn't fair. He was left without an arm. Leo had lost his vision. Raph had walked away unscathed. A kunai made its way into his only remaining hand. A roar of pure hatred filled the lair._

_Michelangelo launched himself into Raphael. The kunai lodged deep into his brothers left eye. He'd lost his left arm, Leo had lost his vision, Raph's left eye seemed the logical choice. With shaking hands Raph yanked the blade out. His eye widened in horror. His eye had come out with the kunai. _

_That was the day Raph left._

"Mikey? What happened to our brothers?" I can detect the lump forming in his throat. He isn't used to this world like we are. I can understand we're a lot to take in, because if you'd told me sixteen year old self I'd lose everything, I wouldn't have believed you.

"Lets just say neither of them can see that well anymore." I don't want to love him, I know he left me, but I cant help but feel like I'm the baby of the family again. Our family is as whole as its going to get. That bubbly kid I locked away is trying to break free.

"Oh." A hurt expression crosses his face. Now I remember why I locked away my emotions all those years ago. Feeling stuff hurts. It mucks up my decisions and keeps me from thinking clearly, and it'll get me killed this time for sure.

"_Mikey, shh." Leo gently strokes his brothers cheek as he holds him to his chest. Mikey's sobs drowned out by the rain pounding the cement outside their cardboard box. The mattress they lay on is all they have left of the lair. _

"_You're...you're gonna leave me." He can barely make out the words, "Just like Donnie and...and Raphie." Mikey only buries his beak deeper into his brothers neck. He cant stand looking into the unseeing eyes of his older brother. They only remind him that he drove Raph away._

"_I wont ever leave you Mikey. I promise." He only wraps his brother into a tighter embrace. The promise echoes in Mikey's ear until his sobs are only hiccups and sleep finally settles in. His dreams are filled with memories of Raph and Donnie running away from the lair. They left Leo and him alone, but Leo promised never to leave. He said he'd be there for him._

_In the morning, Leo is gone._

"Hey Mikey?" Olive green arms are wrapped around me. I'm such a pushover.

"Yea Donnie?" You'd think after being burned so many times by the people I loved, I'd be wary.

"That evil is gone." He smiles, "They're just like I remember." You'd be wrong.


End file.
